Peer support is a term used to describe where people with a similar lived experience come together to provide emotional, social or practical help to each other.
In Mind BLMK, this means that people who have an experience of mental ill health can spend time together, connect, share experiences and ideas of what can help. This support can be really helpful for all involved – those supporting can feel helpful, useful and involved and those being supported can feel less alone, isolated and understand that others have had similar experiences.
Mental ill health can lead to us feeling alone, like we are the only person going through this, that we are isolated and that nobody else can help. This can lead to feelings of helplessness, a downward spiral of depression, anxiety or hopelessness. This can make things worse and lead to us doing things that aren’t helpful.
Peer support can mean that someone else is there, sometimes simply ‘I get that…’ or ‘when I felt like that, I tried this and it was really helpful’ can make a huge difference.
Trying to explain how things are to someone who has never experienced a mental health issue can be really tough – sometimes simply finding the words to describe what is happening can be impossible and can feel like wading through treacle. And when others don’t understand, it can lead to frustration.
When people have their own experiences, it can be much easier. People get it. They understand. They have often felt similar things themselves or can see where you’re coming from, even if it is different from them. This can be a huge relief.
Peer support is working together. Everyone is helping everyone – we can all feel empowered, build independence, increase our self-worth by knowing we are an important part of the support, even if often we say very little. And we know that even if we are the one being helped today, at some point we will be able to help someone else.
Our new Peer Support groups are for those in Milton Keynes aged 18+. Sessions will take place every Thursday between 6.00pm and 7.30pm, from 21 January 2021.
The groups will be led by a Peer Support Worker with lived experience of mental health and built-on shared personal experience and empathy with a focus on working towards wellbeing and recovery. To access our services, please use the referral form button in the side bar on the left.
01525 722 225.
This service is funded by:
MindLine Trans+ is a confidential mental health support helpline for people who identify as trans, A gender, gender fluid, or non-binary.
Side by Side is a supportive online community where you can talk about your mental health and connect with others who understand what you are going through.
Find out more
Information and advice on a huge range of mental health topics from the national Mind website.
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